Stopper block



Jan. 25, 1966 w. B. PERDIEU 3,230,811

STOPPER BLOCK Filed Oct. 5, 1963 IN VENTOR W141 MM 6. Paw/0 United States Patent 3,230,811 ST OPPER BLOCK William B. Perdieu, Rte. 1, Pimento, Ind. Filed Oct. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 313,510 6 Claims. (Cl. 83-467) The present invention relates to a stopper block, and more particularly to a new and novel stopper block having particular application to a die cutting press.

As is known, the cutting of paper stock, such as paperboard, for example, known in the trade as blanks, presents problems, particularly where such blanks are warped or have otherwise uneven surfaces. As a result of the aforesaid warping, the operator of the press finds it difiicult to place such blanks in position for cutting, in

' that any war-page thereof tends to permit the blanks to pass outside of the press bed during lacement. In view of the preceding, press time as well as operators time mostly overshoot the desired press bed position, especially if anything more than a minimal warped blank was being processed.

By virtue of the instant invention, the applicant herein has provided a new and novel stopper block for use in conjunction with a die cutting press. The present invention is effective not only with a blank having high warpage, but provides adjustment features of additional value to the user. Briefly, the applicants new and novel stopper block comprises a fixed member and another member pivotal with respect to the fixed member, where a spring normally urges the movable member away from the fixed member. The fixed member is suitably secured to the peripheral area of the press and, when the press is open, i.e, awaiting a blank and prior to the cutting of the latter, the instant stopper block is open, providing a high stop against which the blanks may be positioned. Thereafter, when cutting is effected, action of the bed with respect to the cutting blades results in the movement of the pivotal member in the direction of the fixed member, whereby, when fully compacted, the applicants new and novel stopper block is positioned in the space defined by the maximum height of such cutting blades.

By way of adjustment features, the applicants new and novel stopper block includes means for limiting the pivotal movement of the members defining such device, as well as the provision of a removable pin, for one or more openings, for further assisting the operator in directing movement of the blank into the desired position on the bed before cutting. Moreover, the invention at hand is susceptible to manufacturing economies, being defined by a minimum number of components, formed from virtually any desired material, i.e., for example, metal, plastic, wood or the like.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel stopper block for a die cutting press.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel stopper block for a die cutting press which is highly eitective in operation, serving as a positive assistance for the operator in the use of such press.

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A further and more general object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel stopper block having particular application to a die cutting press, which is defined by a minimum of operative components, which provides various adjustment features, and which represents optimum economies in manufacturing as well as in use.

Other objects and a better understanding of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is a View in side elevation, partly fragmentary, showing the applicants new and novel stopper block on a die cutting press;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the stopper block forming the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the stopper block of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, taken at line 4-4 on FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of one of the adjustment features embodied in the applicants new and novel invention.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to the figures, the applicants new and novel stopper block 10 is shown in conjunction with a typical die-cutting press 12 defined by a receiving bed 14 having an arm and linkage arrangement 15 interconnecting same with a bed 16, where the latter has cutting knives 18 disposed on a face thereof. In that the preceding is conventional in the art, and may assume various typical configurations, the details thereof are not set forth herein.

Disposed on the receiving bed 14, at a location along the periphery or edge of a plate 19 typically screwed onto such receiving bed 14, is the instant stopper block 10. In a typical embodiment of the invention, the applicants new and novel stopper block 1%) is positioned by means of an adhesive or the like.

In any event, the stopper block It] typically comprises a fixed or stationary member 21 having a movable member 22 pivotally secured thereto at one end, as at axis 24, for example. In the form of invention in the drawing, the interconnection between the stationary member 21 and the movable member 22 of the instant stopper block 10 is achieved through corresponding interlapping fingerlike projections 21a and 22a, respectively. Typically, but not necessarily, disposed along one edge of the movable member 22, i.e. that edge against which the leading edge of the blanks being fed contact, is a downwardly extending lip 25 which, preferably, for reasons to be described herebelow, has one or more openings 25a disposed therein, either in-line, staggered, or in any other desired configuration.

The fixed member 21 and the movable member 22 defining the applicants new and novel stopper block 10 are normally urged into an angled spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other by means of a bowed or arouate spring member 28, typically secured to the stationary member 21 through screw means 29. It should be understood that the illustrated position of the members defining the instant stopper block 10 in FIG. 3 is that assumed before press operation, and, hence, cut-ting action, and that such members pivot to a compacted size defined, in height, as equal to or less than the height of the cutting blades 18. The preceding should become evident in light of the discussion here-below.

Any of various means can be employed to limit and/or define the normal angling upward position of the movable member 22 with respect to the stationary member 21. For example, in this connection, FIG. 4 discloses the use of an upstanding pin 31 either integral or removable, positioned in one of the finger-like members 21a, so that movable member 22a, at a desired position, abuts against such upstanding pin 30, thereby defining the maximum spaced-apart angled position of the movable member 22 with respect to the fixed member 21.

As to the openings 25a in the lip 25 secured to the movable member 22., a removable lateral pin 35 is adapted to be selectively received in such openings 25a, providing an element beneath which the leading edge of the blank may be received during feeding operation. In other words, and as should also become evident from the following discussion, the alternative openings provide a selection which is desirable in view of the variable warpage of the blanks under process of being cut, i.e. the choice of the opening 25a for the pin 35 depends upon the amount of warpage existing in the blanks being run. In the alternative, however, a single integral pin, positioned as desired, may also serve the same general purpose.

In any event, and when in use, the operator feeds: paperboardblanks 40 individually onto the plate 19 on the receiving bed 14, and into direct contact with the instant stopper block which, because of its spaced or spread apart normally angled position, provides a ready barrier for the blanks 40, preventing same from overshooting the desired cutting position on the receiving bed 14. As noted hereabove, the pin 35 further serves to assist the operator in positioning each blank 40, considering its position in one of the openings 25a in view of the warpage of the blanks under process. as also noted hereabove, the height or distance between the movable member 22 and the fixed member 21 is also controlled through the upstanding pin 30, as it may be desirable, for different machine applications, to have the stopper block varied in angle position.

When the die press functions, and in a typical arrangement, the receiving bed 14 and the cutting blades 18 contact, and because of spring 28, the movable member 22 pivots in the direction of the fixed member 21 of the instant stopper block 10. In that the stopper block 10, when compacted, is equal to or less than the height of the cutting blades 18, highly effective stopping action has been effected, with the desired amplified angled height factor providing extremely desirable assistance during the positioning operation.

From the preceding, it should be understood that the applicant herein has provided a new and novel stopper block for a die-cutting press which permits simple and effective blank feeding in the event of warpage, and which represents economies, in its own manufacture, as Well as in the over-all cutting operation. Adjustment features provided herein even further simplify the operation at hand.

It should be understood that the above-described stopper block is susceptible to various modifications within the spirit of the invention. For example, alternative arrangements may be employed for normally spacing apart the movable and fixed members; the means for limiting the normal position of the movable member may be performed otherwise; and, of course, changes may be accom:

Further, and

plished insofar as over-all dimensioning is concerned, all with equally effective end results. Thus, the preceding description should be considered illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A stopper block for a die-cutting press having a receiving bed and cutting blades comprising a fixed member secured to said receiving bed along the edge of a workpiece, a movable member pivotally mounted to said fixed member so as to pivot in the direction of the pivoting of said press, said movable member having an edge normal to its pivot axis engaged by the feeding edge of the workpiece, and means normally urging said movable member in spaced-apart angled relationship with respect to said fixed member, said movable member pivoting to .a closed position by means of said press and in opposition to said urging means, and said stopper block having a height no more than said cutting blades.

2. A stopper block for a die-cutting press having a receiving bed said cutting blades comprising a fixed member secured to said receiving bed at the periphery thereof, a movable member pivotally connecting said fixed member at one end of the latter, said movable member having a workpiece engaging edge, means normally urging said movable member in spaced-apart angled relationship with respect to said fixed member, and a laterally extending portion on said movable member extending beyond the plane of said workpiece engaging edge and overlying the workpiece, said movable member pivoting to a closed position by means of said press and in opposition to said urging means, and said stopper block having a height no more than the height of said cutting blades.

3. The stopper block of claim 2 where stopping means interengaging said movable member and said fixed member limits the movement of said movable member away from said fixed member.

4. The stopper block of claim 3 where said stopping means is a pin disposed in said fixed member.

5. The stopper block of claim 3 where said stopping means forms an integral part of said fixed member.

6. A stopper block for a die-cutting press having a receiving bed and cutting blades comprising a fixed member secured to said receiving bed at the periphery thereof, a movable member pivotally connecting said fixed member at one end of the latter, said movable member having a workpiece engaging edge, means normally urging said movable member in spaced-apart angled relationship with respect to said fixed member, and at least one opening disposed in said workpiece engaging edge of said movable member receiving a removable pin which extends laterally beyond the plane of said workpiece engaging edge and overlying the workpiece, said movable member pivoting to a closed position by means of said press and in opposition to said urging means, and said stopper block having a height no more than the height of said cutting blades.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 295,927 4/1884 Lieb 2693 16 669,882 3/1901 Mobley 101-413 1,402,540 l/1922 Rybicki 269-3 16 2,478,314 8/1949 Petty 101414 2,769,493 11/ 1956 Karsoe 2693 16 X WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Examiner. 

1. A STOPPER BLOCK FOR A DIE-CUTTING PRESS HAVING A RECEIVING BED AND CUTTING BLADES COMPRISING A FIXED MEMBER SECURED TO SAID RECEIVING BED ALONG THE EDGE OF A WORKPIECE, A MOVABLE MEMBER PIVOTALY MOUNTED TO SAID FIXED MEMBER SO AS TO PIVOT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PIVOTING OF SAID PRESS, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER HAVING AN EDGE NORMAL TO ITS PIVOT AXIS ENGAGED BY THE FEEDING EDGE OF THE WORKPIECE, AND MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER IN SPACED-APART ANGLED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIXED MEMBER, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER PIVOTING TO A CLOSED POSITION BY MEANS OF SAID PRESS AND IN OPPOSITION TO SAID URGING MEANS, AND SAID STOPPER BLOCK HAVING A HEIGHT TO NOR MORE THAN SAID CUTTING BLADES. 